Toilet Trauma

At long last, the adventure has begun! For her eighteen-month birthday, Brooklyn received her very own potty. Now I have to tell you, this toilet is much smarter than your average pot. Somehow it sensed that wrapping it was particularly challenging since I was running low on half-birthday paper. Fifteen minutes and some minor frustration later, I finally finished the task and placed the package on the dresser. Out of nowhere, the box congratulated me with an enthusiastic "All Done!" (flush), immediately followed by a "Way to Go!" (flush again.) I must say, the positive reinforcement made me smile. Let's just hope it does the trick for our own little potty lover.

Thus far, Brooklyn has decided that she wants her potty seat on the big toilet. At first I thought it was simply because she wanted to be like Mommy and Daddy, but I've since discovered that she considers this abode to be her new swimming hole. I left her alone on her porcelain throne for about twenty seconds and came back to discover her proudly standing in the toilet water! By the time Jason arrived with the camera, some of the glee had worn off as she figured out that she was stuck and couldn't get out. All I can say is thank goodness the toilet's right next to the tub!



Life here is definitely a constant adventure. Brooklyn's fascination for all things aquatic extends beyond the world of toilets to the realm of fish, although sometimes her two interests nearly overlap. Below you can see her intrigued by the fish at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago:



Well, perhaps we shouldn't encourage her fish fetish, because it's nearly proven deadly to our own Beta fish, Gus Gus. Sunday morning I was sewing a button on Brooklyn's dress and feeling pretty proud of myself because A) it looked like we were going to be on time to church, and B) I was actually being somewhat domestic. Well, five minutes later I ventured down the stairs to discover Brooklyn sitting on top of the bookshelf, soaking wet with her elbows in the fish bowl! Half of the water had already sloshed out, drenching the floor, furniture, and a few unfortunate reading materials. Worse yet, Brooklyn managed to unscrew and dump out the entire canister of fish food. There's nothing like a floor full of soggy blood worms to wet your Sunday morning appetite. Fortunately, Gus managed to avoid our babe's curious fingers and didn't have to personally navigate our sewage system.

I suppose I shouldn't complain too much--turn around is fair play. Brooklyn was quite patient with me when I practically choked her during her camping bath in a dish basin. She'll put up with nearly anything for an excuse to splash.



Here's wishing your family many laughs from (or at) the Wheelers!

Excuses, Excuses

At long last, the Wheeler Family has returned to the world of blogging! Rumor has it that we are way overdue for some new pictures. Here are our top ten excuses:

10. Speaking of due, Brooklyn is due to become a big sister in November. :) Unfortunately, pregnancy has left Mom much more inclined to recline than write.
9. A month ago, I stopped working full-time at the College of Engineering. While I love getting to spend more time with my family, being a stay-at-home-Mom is definitely more challenging (and time-consuming). Eighteen month-olds don't understand the meaning of lunch hour or fifteen-minute breaks. All I can say is thank goodness for naps!
8. We're still recovering from finals and studio projects. Jason deserves to sleep for a month.
7. The swimming pool is open. :)
6. Daddy has been home to give Brooklyn underdogs on the swingset and Mommy foot massages. Play time!
5. We like to camp. No surfing allowed! (Internet surfing, that is. Unfortunately, there aren't many beaches nearby, so the other kind is out too.)
4. Keeping Brooklyn fed is a relentless task requiring our constant attention. My goodness, our girl can eat! It all goes straight to her cheeks, too--the ones up top, that is. A week ago Brooklyn climbed out of our bed early in the morning (we have a tradition of snuggling before getting up so that Mommy can get a few more winks.) The next thing I know, I hear her downstairs screaming bloody murder. I race down the stairs, grabbing a robe to keep me decent, only to find Brooklyn perched in her high chair. She stops screaming, smiles at me, and says "cracker!" (Brooklynspeak for breakfast.)
3. Brooklyn loves the computer and always "helps" as you type. Her new favorite button is the on/off switch. Thus, blogging (and anything else productive) is relegated to moments of toddler unconsciousness. Have you noticed how everything in our household revolves around sleep?
2. Biking and rollerblading are lots of fun!
1. We were held hostage at the petting zoo by a European deer that devoured Jason's favorite shirt.

Anyway, despite our plentiful excuses, we contritely acknowledge that we're slackers. We shall repent, and sin no more! So, here are some photos to make up for it. Too bad I don't have a picture of the deer...